Religious Education

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another.”

1 Peter 4:10

At SS Peter & Paul, we are philosophers and theologians…

At SS Peter & Paul Catholic Primary School, Religious Education is at the heart of our curriculum and is central to the Catholic life and mission of our school. Inspired by our mission statement,

“Learning Together, Achieving Together, In Christ,”

We aim to provide a rich, engaging and faith-filled Religious Education curriculum which enables every child to grow in knowledge, understanding, faith and love.

We want our children to develop a deep knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith and to encounter Jesus Christ through Scripture, prayer, worship, reflection and the teachings and traditions of the Church. Through Religious Education, children are encouraged not only to learn about their faith, but also to consider how their faith can shape the way they think, speak, make choices and live their lives.

Our intention is that pupils become increasingly religiously literate, able to use appropriate theological vocabulary, engage confidently with Scripture, make connections between different aspects of their learning and explain their ideas using increasingly thoughtful and reasoned responses.

We want our children to leave SS Peter & Paul with happy and meaningful memories of Religious Education and with a growing understanding that faith is something to be heard, believed, celebrated and lived.

As a Catholic school serving a culturally rich and diverse community in Mitcham, we also want our pupils to develop respect, curiosity and understanding towards people of different religions and worldviews. Through dialogue and encounter, children learn to appreciate the beliefs, practices and traditions of others whilst developing an increasingly secure understanding of their own Catholic identity.

Above all, we aim to help every child recognise their own dignity and the dignity of others, understand that they are loved by God, and recognise their responsibility to help build a world based upon love, justice, peace and care for creation.

The Purpose of Religious Education

Religious Education in a Catholic school is a core academic subject and plays a unique role in the education and formation of the whole child.

Our curriculum enables children to:

develop secure knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith;
encounter and explore Sacred Scripture;
develop their religious and theological vocabulary;
think deeply about questions of faith, meaning and purpose;
understand key Catholic beliefs, teachings, traditions, Sacraments and liturgical celebrations;
make connections between Scripture, Church teaching and their own lives;
reflect, question, discuss and make reasoned judgements;
recognise how faith influences the way Christians live;
understand Catholic Social Teaching and its call to love and serve others;
appreciate Christianity within its wider historical and cultural context;
understand and respect other religions and worldviews;
respond personally and spiritually to what they have learned.

Through this, we seek to develop children who can talk confidently about their faith, ask thoughtful questions and recognise that Religious Education has meaning beyond the classroom.

Children from EYFS to Year 6 follow Lighting the Path, supporting the implementation of the Religious Education Directory, To know You more clearly.

The Religious Education Directory provides the framework for Religious Education in Catholic schools and places strong emphasis upon Scripture, Catholic belief and teaching, celebration and liturgy, Christian living, and encounter with other religions and worldviews.

Scripture and Religious Literacy

Scripture has an important place within Religious Education at SS Peter & Paul.

Children encounter Bible passages regularly and are increasingly encouraged to work directly with Scripture, developing their confidence in locating, reading, discussing and interpreting biblical texts.

As children progress through the school, we expect them to become increasingly confident in:

recalling important Scripture passages and events;
making connections between different passages of Scripture;
understanding how Scripture influences Catholic belief and practice;
using theological and religious vocabulary accurately;
explaining rather than simply recalling their learning;
giving reasons for their ideas and interpretations;
reflecting upon how Scripture can influence their own lives and the lives of others.

Our curriculum therefore places a strong emphasis upon developing religious literacy, enabling pupils to speak, think and write with increasing depth and confidence about religion and faith.